Wolves 1-2 Tottenham: Jan Vertonghen heads injury-time Spurs winner

Report as Jose Mourinho's side close in on Chelsea; watch free highlights on Sky Sports website and app

By Kate Burlaga

Sunday 15 December 2019 19:56, UK

Jan Vertonghen headed an injury-time winner as Tottenham snatched an unlikely 2-1 win at Wolves to move to within three points of the Premier League's top four.

Adama Traore, Vertonghen's chief tormentor at a sodden Molineux, looked to have earned the hosts a point that was the least they deserved (67) for a dominant display when he cancelled out Lucas Moura's early opener with a blistering strike.

But the Spurs defender delivered an ironic twist in a compelling contest when he met a Christian Eriksen corner with a powerful header (90+1) to leave Jose Mourinho punching the air on the touchline.

Mourinho's side climb to fifth after a fourth league win in five games - closest rivals Chelsea up next in front of the Sky Sports cameras - while Wolves, whose 11-game unbeaten run comes to an end - slip to eighth, though have still lost just twice in 19 outings in all competitions.

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How Spurs claimed smash-and-grab win

Two Portugese managers, reverting to familiar line-ups after their European endeavours, shared a warm embrace before kick-off but Mourinho's team were ahead just eight minutes into a match briskly-paced from the off. Moura had failed to adjust his feet when slid in by Heung-Min Son but this time he slalomed through orange shirts before rifling high into the net.

The game was thrillingly open, Spurs lively on the counter but Wolves soon settling on the ball. Traore, with barrel chest and quick feet, cut dangerously inside only to fire straight at Rui Patricio, before Raul Jimenez feinted to lose his marker but flicked a header just wide of the far post.

Jimenez narrowly missed the other upright, while his provider, Diogo Jota, seized on a Davinson Sanchez error but dithered when Traore demanded the square ball. The Wolves pressure was as relentless as the west Midlands rain but Spurs might have had a second before the break when Eric Dier played a give-and-go with Dele Alli but drilled a ball deliciously dinked into his path against the post.

Wolves' intent was unchecked by the interval, another Traore delivery repelled and Paulo Gazzaniga called into action to thwart Jimenez as plastic ponchos were pulled on by fans housed in the roofless corner of Molineux.

Alli bent just wide after smart work from Moura, Spurs opportunistic still, but the leveller the hosts merited finally came when Jimenez found Traore with the outside of his boot, crafted space with a clever run and watched his team-mate fire an unstoppable drive past Gazzaniga.

The atmosphere crackled again, the hosts scenting victory, as Jimenez went close and Romain Saiss drew a strong right hand from Gazzaniga with the clock ticking.

Kane blazed over, to the delight of the supporters behind Patricio's goal, but the visiting fans were unexpectedly gleeful when Eriksen, summoned from the bench, delivered an outswinger that an unmarked Vertonghen steered into the bottom corner.

Analysis: Traore shines despite being targeted

Jan Vertonghen had the last laugh for Tottenham but Adama Traore certainly didn't deserve to find himself on the losing side at Molineux. Spurs struggled to deal with the Wolves winger's dribbling all afternoon and he was on the receiving end of some particularly robust attention after his spectacular equaliser.

Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier and Harry Kane were all booked for fouls on Traore during 14 second-half minutes. That beats the record set by Brighton the previous weekend when Lewis Dunk, Dan Burn and Dale Stephens were booked in the space of 17 minutes.

Twenty-four players have been yellow carded for fouls on Traore this season in all competitions. In the Premier League, no player has been fouled more in the final third. These are not insignificant infringements either but lunges on a player often running at speed. Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is clearly concerned about what is happening.

"I think the referees know and realise they should punish the tackles," Nuno said afterwards. "It's tough to defend and opponents do what they have to do. Fouls over and over again, you should not allow them. They have to act immediately to prevent injury."
Adam Bate

What the managers said...

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo: "We performed very well so it's not about the result, it's about what we did in the game, how we did it, what we wanted to do, and we did it well, with some mistakes at both ends of the pitch that we must look and try to improve. But we played good. We had chances. We created a lot against Tottenham who are a fantastic team, fantastic manager, well organised, so it was not easy... we need to be a bit more clinical in the final third."

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho: "Wolves showed how good they are, how strong they are, at every level - tactically, technically, mentally they are very, very strong. For us to cope with them and arrive in a position where it was possible to win the game in the last period was a big, big effort from a team who has a lot to improve on from a tactical point of view. But we are getting there. Amazing spirit. A big, big, big victory for us."

Opta stats

Wolves have suffered just their third home defeat in the top-flight in 2019 (W9 D6) and their first since a 2-5 defeat to Chelsea back in September. Indeed, each of those three losses have come against London opposition (also Crystal Palace in January, Spurs today).
Since a 1-3 defeat as Chelsea boss in October 2015, Spurs manager José Mourinho hasn't lost any of his last 54 Premier League games when his side has scored the opening goal (W48 D6 - Chelsea (1), Man Utd (49), Spurs (4).
Adama Traore's equaliser for Wolves was his fourth goal of the season in 26 appearances; twice as many goals as he netted in his previous 82 matches as a Premier League player across all competitions (2).
Lucas Moura has now scored three goals in just five Premier League appearances under José Mourinho after netting only once in 10 games under Mauricio Pochettino earlier this season.
Five of Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen's six Premier League goals have come away from home. Indeed, he has scored his club's first 90th minute winner in the competition since Harry Winks netted at Craven Cottage back in January.

What's next?

Tottenham host stuttering Chelsea in a London derby in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Sunday, December 22. Wolves travel to Norwich a day earlier for a 3pm kick-off.